Guaging station on Mameyes River, Luquillo National Forest, Puerto Rico

A manual and automatic gauging station on a tropical stream in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (Puerto Rico), known locally as El Yunque. Gauging stations keep track of river heights, thus allowing estimates of water discharge to be made. Note the large boulder substrates in this high gradient stream. Torrential rains from hurricanes allow the stream to rise several meters, and the energy of the rushing water transports both small and very large substrates.